By Jean S. HornerThe other day while walking down a corridor
in a public building, I saw what appeared to be someone walking toward
me. On coming closer, I found it was my own reflection in a huge mirror.
For a moment it frightened me. Somehow a full-length reflection of
one’s self is a startling thing. ...

Daily Boost

March 24, 2011 - Waiting

By Rhea Falig

The past few weeks I have found myself waiting a lot. Waiting for my kids to clean up their toys. Waiting for my husband to get home from work. Waiting for the mail. Waiting to hear from the Lord. Waiting for the washing machine to finish so I can put the laundry in the dryer. Waiting for answers. Waiting for direction.

Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.

I don’t mind waiting most of the time. But sometimes, I hate it — especially during the long winter months. I’ve found myself waiting for spring a lot these days. Waiting for the first pink blossom to appear on the tree in my front yard. Waiting for the sun to shine through these gloomy gray skies.

Mainly, I’m waiting for Jesus. Waiting for the day I see Him face to face. Waiting like a bride waits for her groom on her wedding day. The anticipation of gazing upon His beauty and standing in His presence makes my heart leap for joy inside of me! I mean, as Christians, isn’t that our goal? To finish our race well so we can see Him face to face and hear that glorious “Well done!” from our Creator?

It makes me sad to think that many of us have forgotten what we’re even waiting for. I can just picture our Bridegroom up in heaven preparing this glorious wedding feast for us. Preparing our house and getting everything ready for the day He can finally see His beautiful bride face to face. But when He returns for His bride He might be sad to find many of us have grown tired of waiting. Instead of keeping our eyes on the prize set before us, we’ve set out to gain as much earthly treasures as we can to fill the voids in our lives that only He was meant to fill.

What are you waiting for that is so frustrating to your spirit today? A day will come when our waiting will be over. It won’t matter if you’re waiting for the test result from the doctor. It won’t matter if you’re waiting for your kids to get out of school. It won’t matter if you’re waiting for that money to come in. It won’t matter if you’re waiting on your career, waiting at the stop light, waiting for dinner to finish cooking. A day is coming when it won’t matter WHAT we’ve been waiting for but for WHOM we’ve been waiting.

And Church, our wait is almost over.

There are two kinds of waiting: wise waiting and foolish waiting. It’s best seen in the Parable of the Ten Virgins. Take a moment to read Matthew 25:1-13.

Are we wisely putting the oil in our lamps while we are waiting? Or are we like the five foolish virgins who forgot about the groom’s return and didn’t prepare when they had the chance? Are we putting the right things in our heart while we are waiting or are we foolishly spending our days on our own pleasures to gain earthly things that will fade away?

The truly amazing thing about waiting on the Lord is that a heart truly transformed by Jesus can rest easy. All the bridesmaids were sleeping, but it wasn’t a problem for wise bridesmaids, because when they woke up they were ready to go out and meet the groom no matter when he came. In the same way, when our life is filled with a living and active relationship with Jesus, we don’t stress about God coming at an unexpected time. As we wait for Him, He gives us His Spirit to sustain us and lead us.

Waiting is part of Kingdom living. But as you experience times of waiting, ask yourself, “For whom am I waiting?” and “What is the quality of my waiting? Will I be prepared when the waiting is over?” Because the one thing we can be sure of in the Kingdom is that our waiting is not in vain.

— Rhea Falig attends Life360 Church (AG) in Springfield, Mo., with her husband, Eric, and sons Josiah and David.